The present invention relates to the field of heat exchange, and provides a heat exchanger that is useful in managing the heat generated by solid oxide fuel cell systems, and in other applications.
A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) generates waste products having a high temperature, which can be of the order of about 900° C. To make the fuel cell more efficient, the heat from the fuel cell outlet must be redirected and combined with the products entering the fuel cell inlet. Redirecting the heat requires a heat exchanger that can handle the high temperatures produced in the fuel cell. For the system to be economical, the heat exchanger must be very simple in construction, and of low cost. It also must be compact.
The present invention provides a heat exchanger that satisfies the above criteria. The heat exchanger of the present invention is easy to manufacture, and provides the desired high-temperature performance. The heat exchanger of the present invention is especially intended for gas-to-gas heat exchange for SOFC systems, but may be used in other applications.